MAX PLANCK INSTITUT FUER KOHLENFORSCHUNG

Their core work

The Max Planck Institut für Kohlenforschung (Coal Research) is one of Germany's premier fundamental chemistry research institutes, with deep expertise in catalysis — the science of making chemical reactions faster, cleaner, and more efficient. Within H2020, their work centers on developing new catalytic methods using sustainable, earth-abundant metals (bismuth, cobalt) as replacements for expensive noble metals like palladium and platinum. They also advance electrochemical and organocatalytic techniques for selective organic synthesis, with direct relevance to pharmaceutical manufacturing and green chemistry.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

In the early H2020 period (2016–2018), MPI Kohlenforschung focused broadly on non-noble metal catalysis and C–H acid chemistry (NoNoMeCat, CHAOS, ShuttleCat), laying groundwork in sustainable alternatives to precious-metal catalysts. From 2019 onward, the institute sharpened its focus considerably: bismuth-based redox catalysis emerged as a distinctive new direction (BiREDOX, Let-it-Bi), while cobalt catalysis and electrochemical methods appeared as complementary lines. The trajectory is clearly toward greener, more sustainable synthetic chemistry using cheap metals and electricity instead of expensive catalysts and harsh reagents.

MPI Kohlenforschung is building a unique position in bismuth catalysis and electrosynthesis — expect future work combining these into electrically-driven sustainable organic synthesis methods.

How they like to work

This is overwhelmingly a project-leading institute: 6 of 8 projects are coordinated by MPI Kohlenforschung, mostly ERC and MSCA grants that are PI-driven individual excellence awards. Their consortium network is modest (17 partners across 8 countries), reflecting the nature of these funding schemes — small teams centered on one principal investigator rather than large multi-partner consortia. Working with them means engaging a focused research group led by strong individual scientists, not a large institutional collaboration machine.

MPI Kohlenforschung has collaborated with 17 unique partners across 8 countries, but most projects are PI-led ERC/MSCA grants with minimal consortium structure. Their network is European but not wide — reflecting excellence-driven funding rather than large collaborative programmes.

What sets them apart

MPI Kohlenforschung carries the weight of the Max Planck brand — Germany's most prestigious basic research organization — combined with a century-long legacy in catalysis research (founded 1912 as the Kaiser Wilhelm Institute for Coal Research). Their emerging specialization in bismuth redox catalysis is genuinely rare in Europe, positioning them as a go-to partner for anyone needing sustainable alternatives to noble-metal catalysts. For businesses in pharmaceuticals or fine chemicals, this institute offers access to next-generation catalytic methods that could dramatically reduce production costs and environmental impact.

Highlights from their portfolio

• CHAOS
  Largest grant (EUR 2M ERC Starting Grant) and longest-running project, establishing the group's foundational work on C–H acid chemistry for organic synthesis.
• Let-it-Bi
  EUR 1.5M ERC Advanced Grant on bismuth redox catalysis — signals that a senior PI won Europe's most prestigious individual research award for this distinctive research direction.
• CobaltLSF
  Most keyword-rich project combining cobalt catalysis with C–H functionalization, borylation, and alkylation — a clear indicator of applied late-stage drug modification capabilities.